INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Anna Kournikova took a backward step in her comeback, losing her opening match to American Lilia Osterloh on Wednesday in the Pacific Life Open.

The 20-year-old Russian is trying to rebuild her ranking, once as high as No. 8, after missing most of last season with a stress fracture in her left foot.

She didn't help her cause in this tournament, losing 6-1, 6-4 to Osterloh.

Another Russian, 14-year-old Maria Sharapova, followed Kournikova onto center court and made her tour debut with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 win over Brie Rippner.

"I had a tough start, but I handled it and I think I played pretty well," said Sharapova, who generates impressive power from her slender 5-foot-9, 108-pound frame. "After the first set I felt confident. I wasn't negative at all. I started serving better. She made a few mistakes and I think I took advantage of that."

Sharapova, who has been living in Bradenton, Fla., since she was 7, was given a wild card into the tournament and now will face No. 4 seed Monica Seles in the second round.

Kournikova will stay around to play doubles with Martina Hingis.

"My whole game was struggling a little bit," said Kournikova, who had 11 double faults and committed 44 unforced errors in the 1-hour match on center court at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Osterloh, who at No. 56 in the computer rankings is 11 spots higher than Kournikova, broke the Russian at love to open the match and lost only 12 points in the first set.

The 1997 NCAA singles champion while a Stanford freshman, Osterloh seemed en route to a complete rout when she opened a 4-1 lead in the second set.

But after falling behind on her serve 15-40, Kournikova began playing better and trailed only 5-4 after breaking Osterloh's serve. Serving at 30-0, Kournikova lost the final four points, one on a double fault, and the match.

The win broke a four-match losing streak for Osterloh.

Also advancing on a low-key first day of the $2.1-million event were Jennifer Hopkins, who beat Stephanie Foretz, 6-2, 6-1; Tara Snyder, who took Tathiana Garbin 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, and Marissa Irvin, who defeated Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-1, 6-4.

Nathalie Dechy of France, at No. 35 the highest-ranked player in action, beat Celine Beigbeder of France, 6-1, 6-0.